No top athletes, no fans but lots of masks at Olympics test event

Tokyo, March 6

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Despite the spreading virus, Tokyo Olympic organisers have finally held a test event. The recent outbreak of the coronavirus has forced them to cancel or postpone several. But they allowed a sport climbing event on Friday to go ahead, with a few restrictions: no fans and no top athletes. Instead they used amateurs to test the climbing facility.

Torch event downsized

Meanwhile, the head of the Olympics said organisers are downsizing the arrival ceremony in Japan for the Olympic torch on March 20.

Organising committee President Yoshiro Mori also said that 140 children will not be sent to Greece to give the flame a send off on March 19. The Olympic torch will be lighted on March 12 in a ceremony in Greece and then flown to Japan to arrive on March 20. — Agencies